While the LA Clippers have consistently been in the playoff mix for the last decade, they have one of the smallest championship windows in the NBA.
Kawhi Leonard is about to turn 34 years old, James Harden is about to turn 36 years old, they’re one of the oldest teams in the league, and they have virtually no assets. One person who knows this better than anyone, is former LA Clippers superstar Blake Griffin.
During an interview with DJ Siddiqi of RG, Griffin spoke about how the Clippers’ window is shrinking year by year.
“There’s several things,” Griffin said. “Unfortunately for them, they don’t really have a setup to build for the future. Trading away so many (picks). Look at SGA in Oklahoma City. Look at five first-round draft picks for Paul George. Paul George is now on a different team year after year. Obviously, everybody’s getting a year older; that window’s sort of shrinking.”
One of the biggest issues the Clippers had the entire season and during the playoffs, was an inability to secure a rebound. If anything, the team arguably lost the series against the Nuggets due to allowing critical offensive rebounds in Games 1 and 4. That was something Griffin saw himself as well.
“The championship window for the Clippers is so small; a lot of things have to happen,” Griffin said. “I think in the playoffs you’re seeing the bigs are still very, very important. The Clippers couldn’t get a rebound. Zubac is a great center. But having centers in the playoffs that can play meaningful playoff minutes is still obviously very important.”
Obviously, Gordon’s game-winner in Game 4 wasn’t on the fault of Ivica Zubac, who was defending Jokic, but on the smalle rguards of the team. Regardless, the Clippers need to be better at rebounding as a team, otherwise, their window will be completely closed.
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